Tuesday, October 01, 2013

It would
be easy to lump The Social into a certain breed of talk show
that has been growing on daytime TV.

But
co-host Melissa Grelo doesn't want people to put CTV's new entry into
the same paddock as ABC's The View or CBS' The Talk.

“We
can use analogies and comparisons to The View all you want,”
Grelo says. “But the reality is, we have a very distinctly Canadian
perspective. A perfect example of that would be the gay-rights issue
or, perhaps, the gun-control issue. These are issues that have a
vastly different tone if you're talking about them north of the
border vs. south of the border.

“And
there's the fact that we've never had [on TV] a round table of
Canadian women of varying backgrounds discussing the issues that
matter not only to Canadians, but what everyone is talking about
around the world.”

The
Social airs live each weekday on CTV, with same-day rebroadcasts
on CTV Two and E! The hourlong show features Grelo and her co-hosts
– gossip blogger Lainey Lui, relationship expert Cynthia Loyst and
entertainment reporter Traci Melchor – tackling each day's most
talked-about issues, inviting viewers to join in via social media.

Grelo
acts as the show's moderator, keeping the conversation going and
keeping it on track. She often gleefully refers to herself as the
“cat herder” on the show.

Social
media was also envisioned as a significant element on The Social.
And, according to Grelo, that is where she and her co-hosts have an
advantage.

“We
are of that generation and we are definitely participants in this new
world where people who are watching television are simultaneously on
social media,” Grelo explains. “It's almost like one doesn't
happen without the other. That's the centre point of our show.”

Of
course, that can lead to some on-air juggling. But then, Grelo is no
stranger to the demands of live TV.

Since
2008, Grelo has been the co-host of Toronto specialty channel CP24's
morning show, CP24 Breakfast. She also co-hosted CTV's live Olympic Morning telecasts from Whistler, B.C. during the 2010
Winter Olympics. Add that
to stints as a news anchor, fill-in host, reporter, entertainment
correspondent and weather/traffic reporter and you quickly get the
sense that Grelo can tackle any topic on The Social.

A
self-confessed news junkie, Grelo didn't always see TV on her career
path. In fact, she had set her sights on teaching at an early age. “I
started teaching horseback riding when I was a kid,” Grelo recalls.
“Teaching was something that came very naturally to me.”

After
pursuing degrees in psychology and education, she embarked on a short
stint as a teacher before shifting her focus to journalism. “For
someone who's always been a news junkie, I never considered it a
career,” Grelo confesses. “Then I realized, 'Wait a second,
here's a very similar skill set.' I love writing. I love reading.”

And now,
she loves combining her duties on CP24 Breakfast with her role
on The Social – even if it means her days get pretty hectic.

“It's
insane,” Grelo concedes. “That's my middle name these days. But
I'm so excited. It's something I've wanted to do for a really long
time.

“I
first talked to the network about a show kind of like this a couple
of years ago. To actually see it happening, it's a dream come true.”

Vincent Walsh and Dwain Murphy Clicked Right Away As Underover Cops On "Played"

By Eric Kohanik

It's
just past noon on a warm late-summer day. Next to an outdoor
storage-locker facility near the waterfront in downtown Toronto,
actors Vincent Walsh and Dwain Murphy have been going through take
after take since the early morning hours of what will be another
whirlwind day of location filming.

Walsh
and Murphy are part of the ensemble cast of Played, a new
Canadian drama series that debuts this month on CTV. The police
procedural casts them as detectives who work for the Toronto police
department's Covert Investigations Unit, donning a variety of
alter-egos in order to carry out undercover “plays” – sting
operations that nab criminals.

Much of
the filming for Played is done on location around Toronto. That
often means 15-hour days that require a lot of intense teamwork.

“You
fly by the seat of your pants,” Walsh relates during a short break
in filming. “This whole project is one big ensemble piece. It's
very much character driven, by outside stories. It's all very much a
work in progress.”

Walsh
plays John Moreland, a veteran undercover cop who lives in the
moment, is somewhat pigheaded and could easily go over the edge at
any time. Murphy plays Moreland's partner and wingman, Daniel Price,
a smooth-talking, exuberant detective who sometimes has a tough time
separating his undercover persona from his real one.

“What
drew me in initially was the fact that we get to play multiple
characters,” Murphy explains. “What I connected with was the fact
that every episode is like a mini-movie and you're literally adapting
a new character to that episode along with maintaining this other
character throughout a season.

“I get
to stretch myself as an actor. In one episode, I'll play a DJ. In
another episode, I'll be an undercover bank robber. And in another
episode, I get to play a Brazilian drug lord. You don't really know
what angle you're going to come from, episode to episode.”

Walsh
and Murphy both have solid lists of TV credits under their belts. The
Irish-Canadian Walsh has an acting resume that runs the gamut from
guest shots on such Canadian series as Murdoch Mysteries and Republic of Doyle to lead roles in such productions as Hemingway vs. Callaghan and Shattered City: The Halifax
Explosion.

Meanwhile,
Murphy, who was born in Dominica and raised in Toronto, boasts a list
of credits that ranges from roles in such Canadian series as Combat
Hospital and Degrassi: The Next Generation to guest stints
on such U.S. shows as The Mentalist and Ghost Whisperer.

Right
now, though, both are busy pouring all their energy into the teamwork
that is required of them and their characters as they watch each
other's backs on Played. Fortunately for the duo, their
chemistry clicked right away.

“This
is my first time playing a cop and I absolutely love it!” Murphy
declares enthusiastically. “And I get to do it with this guy,” he
continues, playfully tapping Walsh's knee. “We make it fun. I think
that will resonate, when people see it on the screen, just how much
fun we really have working together. From the first time I met
Vincent, I could see he's just a fun-loving, happy guy. From Day 1, I
instantly clicked with him.”

Walsh is
quick to return the compliment. “Right back at you, mate,” Walsh
says in an Irish lilt punctuated by a wry smile. “Dwain brought an
amazing energy the second he walked on the set.”

As for
their chemistry on screen, “we didn't really have any time to think
about 'clicking,'” Walsh quips. “The only time we really had was
to hit the mark and say the line. That was it.”